An automatic music player system is known which includes a player piano capable of reproducing the musical information which has originated in the piano. Such musical information is produced by an operator keying-in on the keyboard of the piano and is converted into coded musical data, which are memorized into a memory during recording mode of operation of the system. For the reproduction of the musical information thus memorized into the memory, the coded musical data are read out and are converted into corresponding driver signals, which are then applied to the individual elements of solenoid-operated drive assemblies provided in association with the keyboard and the pedal mechanisms of the piano. The drive assemblies thus actuated drive the keys of the keyboard, the soft-pedal, tone-sustaining pedal and damper pedal and enable the piano to generate musical sounds conforming to the data received from the memory. The keyboard is accompanied by key action mechanism and tuned music wires which produce the acoustic sounds upon operator's keying-in.
A typical example of the automatic music player system is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application laid-open (Kokai) No. 56-5190 and illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The automatic music player system illustrated in FIG. 1 largely comprises an upright-type piano 1 and a controller 2 carrying a key driver assembly 3. As well known in the art, the upright-type piano has a keyboard provided with a plurality of keys, a key action mechanism linked with the keys and a plurality of tuned music wires each capable of producing a sound upon actuation of the key action mechanism. The upright-type piano further has three pedals consisting of a soft-pedal, a tone-sustaining pedal and a damper pedal and a pedal mechanism linked with the three pedals, and the pedal mechanism drives a damper mechanism upon operation of the pedals so as to affect the sounds produced by the music wires.
On the other hand, the controller 2 is provided within a case with casters movable in any direction and stores the coded musical data in a memory incorporated therein. The key driver assembly 3 is supported by the case and has a plurality of solenoid-operated key actuators equal in number to the keys of the key board. The automatic music player system further comprises solenoid-operated pedal actuators associated with the pedals. In a reproducing mode, the key driver assembly 3 is located over the keyboard of the upright-type piano 1 so that each of the solenoid-operated actuators projects the plunger thereof onto the upper surface of the corresponding key of the keyboard and to push the key. When the key driver assembly 3 is located at the above described position (which is hereinafter referred to as reproducing position), the solenoid-operated actuators for the pedals are also located over the respective pedals and have the respective plungers attached to the upper surface of the pedals, respectively. The key driver assembly 3 thus positioned is supplied from the controller 2 with the drive signals converted from the coded musical data and controls the projections of the plungers of the solenoid-operated actuators so that the key action mechanism and the pedal mechanism are selectively actuated to produce the fine musical sounds. In a recording mode, an operator needs to supply the controller 2 with a new musical information produced by operator's keying-in, sitting on a chair in front of the keyboard of the upright-type piano 1. With the new musical information, the controller 2 converts the new musical information into new coded musical data and stores the new coded musical data into the memory.
However, a problem is encountered in the prior-art automatic music player system in adjustment for locating the key driver assembly 3 at the reproducing position. Namely, the key driver assembly 3 is supported by the case where the controller 2 is received so that the operator needs to move the case in front of the keyboard and, thereafter, adjusts the key driver assembly 3 in such a manner that the individual plungers of the solenoid-operated actuators are brought into contact with the corresponding keys of the keyboard. However, the case carrying the key driver assembly 3 intervenes between the operator and the key board, then the operator hardly finds the reproducing position. Moreover, when the operator wants to go the recording mode, the case carrying the key driver assembly 3 should be replaced by the chair. The total weight of the case and the key driver assembly 3 is relatively heavy for easy replacement. This is another problem encountered in the prior-art automatic music player system. In addition to these problems, the case carrying the key driver assembly 3 deteriorates the external appearance of the traditional upright-type piano 1.